Aashiyaana

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone can destroy overnight; build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, there may be jealousy; be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world the best you’ve got anyway. You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway." - Mother Theresa

Friday, May 16, 2008

There is no special place where soul acheswhere should i apply the medicine ?I have searched my bodybut have found no such place..He who feels the pain knows itpointed are the arrows of devotion of Lord...

Monday, April 28, 2008

Amal is carried out through intention but action can be intentional or unintentional, Amal transcends the limbs and reaches the heart, as in the case of Rabiah Basriyyah (RA.). When she went on a pilgrimage to the Ka'aba Shareef, then the special blessings of Allah that perpetually descend upon the Ka'aba, were focussed on Rabiah Basriyyah (R.A.), as if they were welcoming her. MeanwhileHazrat Ibrahim ibnê-Adham (RA.) was proceeding to the Ka'aba performing Nafl at every step. When he reached it, he noticed the spiritual effects of the Ka'aba absent. They were at that time focussed on Hazrat Rabiah Basriyyah (R.A.). He addressed her “Just what is all the excitement you have aroused?” She said, “Have I drawn the attention of creation or have you, through your performance of Nafl at every step?” Hazrat lbrahim-ibn-e Adham (R.A.) said, “Even though I behave in the most arduous manner, yet the Ka'aba came forward to welcome you.” She said, “You came offering your head and submission and I, my heart”

Excerpted from :members.tripod.com/alislaah4/sciencesoftasawwuf/id29.htm

Sunday, March 23, 2008

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years, this went on daily with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the! bearer. "What are you ashamed of ?"

"I have been able for these past two years to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get the full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice of the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path ! and not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for who they are and look for the good in them. There is a lot of good out there. Thereis a lot of good in us!

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life!

' I have always loved this song.The lyrics are based on Chief Seattle's letter to the president, .... google it if you have a moment... its words always move me deeply,"

I am glad that I took his advise and searched on "Chief Seattle's letter to President" on net. Although the text and speech itself might be controversial but the contents of this letter are so deep and soul touching.It was mentioned that it was one of the finest environments text ever written..

How can you buy the sky? How can you own the rain and the wind?My father said to me, I know the sap that courses through the trees,as I know the blood that flows through my veins.We are part of the earth as it is part of us.The perfumed flowers are our sisters.The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers.The rocky crests, the meadows, the ponies,all belong to the same family.The voice of my ancestors said to me,The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not simply waterbut the blood of your grandfather's grandfather.Each ghostly reflection in the clear waters of the lakestells memories in the life of our people.The water's murmur is the life of your great-great-grandmother.The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst.They carry our canoes and feed our children.You must give to the rivers the kindness you would give any brother.The voice of my grandfather said to me: The air is precious.It shares its spirit with all the life it supports.The wind that gave me my first breathalso receives my last sigh.You must keep the land and air apart and sacred as a place where one can goto taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers.The voice of my grandmother said to me:Teach your children what you have been taught.The earth is our mother.What befalls the earthbefalls all the sons and daughters of the earth.Hear my voice and the voice of my ancestors,Chief Seattle said.The destiny of our people is a mystery to us.What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered?The wild horses tamed?What will happen when the secret corners of the forestare heavy with the scent of many men? When the view of the ripe hills is blotted by talking wires?Where will the eagle be?And what will happen when we say good-bye to the swift pony and the hunt?It will be the end of living, and the beginning of survival.This we know:All things are connected like the blood that unites us.We did not weave the web of life, we are merely a strand in it.Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves.We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother's heartbeat.If we sell our land, care for it as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it.Preserve the land and the air and the rivers for your children's childrenand love it as we have loved it.

[http://home.att.net/~berliner-Ultrasonics/rel-phil.html]

More on Chief Seattle and his letter at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Seattlehttp://www.barefootsworld.net/seattle.htmlhttp://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/wslibrry.htm

He said, "How long will you journey on?"I said, "Until you stop me."He said, "How long will you boil in the fire?"I said, "Until I am pure.

"This is my oath of love.For the sake of loveI gave up wealth and position."

He said, "You have pleaded your case but you have no witness."I said, "My tears are my witness;the pallor of my face is my proof.'He said, "Your witness has no credibility;your eyes are too wet to see."I said, "By the splendor of your justice my eyes are clear and faultless."

He said, "What do you seek?"I said, "To have you as my constant friend."He said, "What do you want from me?"I said, "Your abundant grace."

He said, "Who was your companion on the 'ourney?I said, "The thought of you, 0 King."He said, "What called you here?"I said, "The fragrance of your wine."

He said, "What brings you the most fulfillment?"I said, "The company of the Emperor."He said, "What do you find there?"I said, "A hundred miracles."He said, "Why is the palace deserted?"I said, "They all fear the thief."He said, "Who is the thief?"I said, "The one who keeps me from -you.

He said, "Where is there safety?"I said, "In service and renunciation."He said, "What is there to renounce?"I said, "The hope of salvation."

He said, "Where is there calamity?"I said, "In the presence of your love."He said, "How do you benefit from this life?"I said, "By keeping true to myself

Now it is time for silence.If I told you about His true essenceYou would fly from your self and be gone,and neither door nor roof could hold you back!

[Rumi - In the Arms of the Beloved, Jonathan StarJeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York 1997]

Monday, February 18, 2008

You think you own whatever land you land onThe Earth is just a dead thing you can claimBut I know every rock and tree and creatureHas a life, has a spirit, has a name

You think the only people who are peopleAre the people who look and think like youBut if you walk the footsteps of a strangerYou'll learn things you never knew you never knew

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moonOr asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains?Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?

Come run the hidden pine trails of the forestCome taste the sunsweet berries of the EarthCome roll in all the riches all around youAnd for once, never wonder what they're worth

The rainstorm and the river are my brothersThe heron and the otter are my friendsAnd we are all connected to each otherIn a circle, in a hoop that never ends

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moonOr have the Eagle tell where he's been?Can you sing with all the voices of the moutnainCan you paint with all the colors of the windCan you paint with all the colors of the wind

How high will the sycamore grow?If you cut it down, then you'll never knowAnd you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon

For whether we are white or copper skinnedWe need to sing with all the voices of the mountainsWe need to paint with all the colors of the wind

You can own the Earth and stillAll you'll own is Earth untilYou can paint with all the colors of the wind

Friday, February 15, 2008

My sister recommended a book to me "Many Lives Many masters" by Dr Brian Weiss . I feel that being a physician herself I guess she is partial to physician writers ..

The subject of the book is "Reincarnation", a controversial topic ... but I enjoy reading on a variety of topics ..I got the book from library yesterday..could not put it down till late last night .. almost done reading it..

In his first book, Many Lives, Many Masters, Dr Weiss vividly describes the insights of a young patient named Catherine. She came to important realizations (under hyponetic therapy by the Author) about the circumstances of her life today and the intricate thread of previous beings within her experience.

Some excerpts from the book:

"I know that there is a reason for everything, Perhaps at the moment that an event occurs we have neither the insight nor the foresight to comprehend the reason, but with time and patience it will come to light"

Our task is to learn, to become God-like through knowledge. We know so little. By knowledge we approach God, and then we can rest.

“I have been to different planes at different times. Each one is a level of higher consciousness. What plane we go to depends on how far we’ve progressed…"

That we must share our knowledge with other people. That we all have abilities far beyond what we use. Some of us find this out sooner than others. That you should check your vices before you come to this point. If you do not, you carry them over with you to another life.

Only we can rid ourselves of the bad habits that we accumulate when we are in physical state. The Masters cannot do that for us. If you choose to fight and not rid yourself, then you will carry them over into another life. And only when you decide that you are strong enough to master the external problems, then you will no longer have them in your next life.

We are given intuitive powers we should follow and not try to resist. Those who resist will meet with danger. We are not sent back from each plane with equal powers. Some of us possess powers greater than others, because they have been accrued from other times. Thus people are not all created equal, But eventually we will reach a point where we will all be equal.

In case you want to read the first chapter of the book ..Please click here..

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Guru Nanak Dev Ji (15th April 1469 – 7 May 1539) has given a beautiful summary of his teachings in one of his hymns as follows:—

Love the saints of every faith:Put away thy pride.Remember the essence of religionIs humility and sympathy,Not fine clothes,Not the Yogi’s garb and ashes,Not the blowing of the horns,Not the shaven head,Not long prayers,Not recitations and torturings,Not the ascetic way,But a life of goodness and purity,Amid the world’s temptations.

Nanak Ji is also wrote the mool (central) mantra in Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib Ji :

"There is only one God, His Name is true, He is the Creator, He is without fear, He is without enmity, He is timeless and without form, He is beyond birth and death, the enlighted one , He can be known by the master's Grace". The Granth Sahib

Sunday, January 27, 2008

No study is of avail so long as our inner being is not attuned. We must hold a peaceful attitude towards all living things.. and if it is lacking, we must strive fervently to cultivate it. The same lesson is taught by Jesus christ when he says :

"If thou bring thy gift to the alter and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the alter and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

There's one sad truth in life I've foundWhile journeying east and west -The only folks we really woundAre those we love the best.We flatter those we scarcely know,We please the fleeting guest,And deal full many a thoughtless blowTo those who love us best.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect. It means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections

...

I read the above quote and the thought came to mind that only time you look beyond the imperfections is when your heart is full of love .. like a mother who can only sees beauty and perfection in her kid... when a person's heart is full of love for everyone around him or her .. the only thing you can see all around you is just pure beauty and pure happiness ...

We are blessed with so much happiness and beauty all around us ..its just upto us what we choose to see ..Is being able to perceive perfection just a matter of the purity and sensitivity of a heart?

Its true that the beauty of a full moon mesmerizes us but equally stunning is a shining sparkling crescent moon ...

Friday, January 11, 2008

Brother Irving's comments in the last post reminded me of this qissa that I had read before ... fortunately I found it again in some saved drafts .. I apologize as I am not sure of the source of this story ..I had read it on the net and had saved it in the past .....Hope we all learn from this wonderful story...

A person came crying and weeping to Shaikh Shiblee Rahamatullahi alayh and said,'O Shaikh, I have destroyed myself; make du'aa for me that may Allah take me away from this world.'

People, whose relationship with Allah is strong, will never ever dream of committing suicide. Those people who enjoy the pleasures of this world; alcohol, drug, women, dubbing, etc., they are the people who will ultimately, want to commit suicide because they will get sick of this world. Those who enjoy the pleasures of this world by committing sins will be surrounded by problems from all four sides. They have brought these problems upon themselves through disobedience to Allah Ta’aalaa.

Such people begin to feel they will only find peace, if they are dead. An Urdu poet has said: Now out of fear you desire to die (But) even after death, if you do not find peace, where will you go?

Now, overpowered by calamities and problems, you desire to die and you consider death a solution to all your problems, but if, after death, you do not find peace in the grave, if you do not find peace on the Day of Qiyaamah, if you do not find peace on the Pul Siraat and you are deprived of entry in Jannah, then where will you go?

So the person said to Shaikh Shiblee, 'I have a big problem. Make du'aa that may Allah Ta’aalaa take me away from this world.’

The Shaikh said, 'Calm down, take it easy, what is the problem?' He replied, 'I had a very close friend, and I loved him very much. We were friends for a very long time. He sacrificed everything for me and I sacrificed everything for him. I had never thought that he will ever leave me but he has left me. Now my heart is empty. I cannot survive without him. I love him so much that I want him back, and if I cannot have him back, then I want to die.’

The Shaikh soothed him and asked him to calm down saying, 'Look, there is no need to lose hope. Why do you want to die when there is a solution to your problem?'

He quickly said, very happily, 'Tell me what is the solution, tell me quickly! Since he has left me I have not been eating, drinking or sleeping. There is no joy in my life. Please tell me quickly.’

The Shaikh replied, 'The only way to forget a friend who has left you is to make a new friend.’ He said, 'O Shaikh, after ten to fifteen years of loyal friendship, he has left me and I am suffering. And you are telling me to make a new friend. I fear that if the same thing happens, then what will become of me.’

Shaikh Shiblee said, 'What if I find you a friend who will never leave you. In fact, if you are disloyal to him and after years of disloyalty, you go back to him saying O my friend! Forgive me. I want to be your friend again, he will immediately accept you again as a friend.’ He said, 'O Shaikh! Show me this friend! Who is this friend that is so loyal.’

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

It was Kahlil Gibran's Birth Anniversary a couple of days back.. I always enjoy reading his writings ... Following are his thoughts about friendship... Each and every word is a beautiful and priceless pearl...

And a youth said, 'Speak to us of Friendship.'

Your friend is your needs answered.

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.

And he is your board and your fireside.

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the 'nay' in your own mind, nor do you withhold the 'ay.'

And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.

For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend.

If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.

For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?

Seek him always with hours to live.

For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

Saturday, January 5, 2008

A very simple but thoughtful message for all of us ..I read this story in a fwded email and felt like sharing with all friends..

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'

The Lord led the holy man to two doors.

He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man ' s mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful. But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, ' You have seen Hell. '

They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man ' s mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here

the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking. The holy man said, ' I don ' t understand. '

' It is simple, ' said the Lord.

'It requires but one skill. You see they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves. '

Thursday, January 3, 2008

If anybody can understand and read transliterated Urdu , I would recommend the following blog ..Posts are a little longer and infrequent , but the analysis , choice of words and the way the posts are written are wonderful...Blog posts uses Khaalis Urdu zabaan but to me that is what makes these posts all the more appealing ..

It is the imagination of the deluded mind which never ends and never exists! Thus, sages defined Maya as that phenomena which produces the impossible. Similarly, the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) defines Maya as follows:

Maadhve kiya kaheeyai bhram aisaa. Jaisaa maaneeyai hoe na taisaa:

O Lord, what can I say about this illusion;what we deem a thing to be, in reality, it is not like that (sggs 657).

I have added below a couple of more verses about Maya from Gurbani..

[Gurbani means "Guru + Bani" or "word of Guru". Gu means darkness and Ru is light. The one who brings light in darkness is a Guru.In Sikhism Gurbani generally refers to the verses from the Holy Scripture "Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji" ]

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As is the fire within the womb, so is Maya outside. The fire of Maya and that of the womb is similar; the Creator has staged this play. According to His Will, the child is born, and the family is very pleased.Love for the Lord wears off, and the child becomes attached to desires; the script of Maya runs its course. This is Maya, by which the Lord is forgotten; emotional attachment and love of duality well up. Says Nanak, by God's Grace, those who enshrine love for God find Him, in the midst of Maya (sggs Page 921).

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What is the use of the glory of Maya?It disappears in no time at all. ||1||This is a dream, but the sleeper does not know it.In his unconscious state, he clings to it. ||1||Pause||The poor fool is enticed by the great attachments of the world. Gazing upon them, watching them, he must still arise and depart. ||2||The Royal Court of His Darbaar is the highest of the high.He creates and destroys countless beings. ||3||There has never been any other, and there shall never be.O Nanak, meditate on the One God. ||4||10||16||

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How one can conquer the formidable fortress of Maya? This fortress is reinforced with double walls and triple moats. Its mean of defense are five elements, with their twenty-five categories, attachment, pride, jealousy, and the awesomely powerful Maya. Lust is the window of this fortress; pain and pleasures are the gatekeepers; virtue and sin are the gates. Quarrelsome anger is the great supreme commander, and mind is the rebel king there. Their armor is the pleasure of taste and flavors, their helmets are worldly attachments; they take their aim with the bows of their corrupt intellect. The greed that fills their heart is the arrow. How mortals can conquer this impregnable fortress?

Liberation from Maya dose not constitute disappearance of material energy or world. It is the change in one's vision. It is the ceasing of the conditioned mind's imagining. Thus, transcending Maya simply means living in the material world but not of it. It is liberation from ignorance: false ego-sense, bondage, or limitedness. As the lotus flower remains untouched by water and mud it grows in, similarly, the liberated man remains untouched or unaffected in the midst of Maya...

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Read a heart touching story ...The story of a women who over the time discovers thatthe world is organic. It doesn't need to be fixed; it needs to be healed. And the tinctures are love and compassion and selflessness. Becoming a loving, compassionate, and selfless person is not a prelude to making the world a better place. It is the cure itself.

I quote below a beautiful prayer by Mother Teresa which sums up this message of love ..

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, light; where there is sadness, joy. Lord, may I not so much seek to be consoled as to console;to be understood as to understand;to be loved as to love. Because it is in giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned. Amen !

posting a couple of excerpts from his recent post below. Click this link to review complete post.

By dominating consciousness, intentions, motivations, thinking, attitudes, evaluations, judgements and behavior, the activities of anger and passion create the illusion of a self which is being served by such activity. In other words, our awareness is mesmerized, or a state of hypnosis is induced in consciousness, by the activities of anger and passion. As a result, awareness identifies with them as being possessions of, and acting on behalf of, consciousness.

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Intention must become a servant of God. Everything which is done must be done for the love of God. Intention must be purified so nothing remains but the aspiration to please God.

The heart must be trained to collaborate with, and give expression to, spiritual aspiration. The heart's association with the aspirations of the false self or ego must be discontinued.

........

However, as spiritual aspiration goes through various transformations, our essential capacity becomes sensitive and receptive to the modalities of experiencing and realizing Divinity which are consonant with the condition of our aspiration. Consequently, the way God responds to us is merely a reflection of the way we relate to Divinity.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Couple of days ago my husband and I watched the old Harrison Ford movie .."Air Force One" . One of the dialogues in the movie that caught my attention was..

"Peace isn't merely the absence of conflict, but the presence of justice"

The reason this sentence caught my attention was because I sometimes feel that I tend to agree to people and situations just to keep peace or to avoid conflict.

Wikipedia quotes.. "Conflict is a state of discord caused by the actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people"

I think keyword here is 'perceived' , most of the times it is the perceived opposition of needs in the materialistic world that gives rise to conflict between people , and problem is that when there is conflict we tend to counter it with conflict.

I have read somewhere that what we need to do is not to avoid conflict but to create harmony in conflict . In martial art if someone twists your wrist and if you resist it, you may break your wrist.

But if you go with the flow rather than go against the flow, you are in a state of harmony. As you go with the flow then you counter-attack your opponent in the flow. This is creating harmony in conflict.

I dont know where I read it and dont have the URL, but I have read the following quote somewhere and have saved it in the past . While writing about conflict somehow remembered it..because I think this is the right way to create harmony ...create peace ...inside and outside...

In the art of archery, "losing the arrow" is the most important aspect... Archery is only a preparation for the final "let go" of the arrow. Similarly, in life it is the "let go" of the ego which is most important.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Ardaas demands a complete surrender to Divine Will. Resignation to the Will of God will ultimately benefit the individual. Only then can God take up his problems and sort them out. The Lord will never fail him who throws himself on His Mercy. Moreover, this submission eliminates the ego- the wall which stands between man and his Creator...

Prayer, Ardaas or Dua whatever we call it, it is a means of ridding the mind of its ills and desires and filling it with pure thoughts and noble aspirations. The prayer requires an effort of heart-searching, an effort to become more pure and noble. The mind must be emptied of all worldly thoughts so that peace may enter it[ courtsey: http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/prayers/ardaas.htm]

I recently read a beautiful article on Dua sent by a friend that I am quoting below.. I hope that we all can benefit from it ....

This translates as: " And when my servant asks you concerning me, then surely I am very near; I answer the du’a of the caller when he/she calls me; so they should answer my call too, and believe in me, so that they may be guided aright."

Du’a in Arabic means call, request, supplication or prayer. Du’a builds up a collective discipline that can be used to set up the ideal society based upon love, peace, justice and freedom.

People often complain that their dua’s are not answered. Allah promises us in the Qur’an to answer us if we call, as is shown in the ayat that I read before you from Sura Baqarah. Allah (S.W.T.) also says, in Sura al-Mu’min ayaat 60 : "Call to Me, I will answer you."

Then why do we sometimes feel that we are not getting an answer?

The following things prevent dua’s being accepted.

Firstly, sins. In one dua, we say to Allah, "Allahummaghfir liyadh dhunoo ballatee tah bisud du’a" "O Allah, forgive me the sins which hold back supplication" Every sin is a barrier between us and Allah and certain types of sins prevent our duas being answered.

Secondly, that what we are asking for, is not good. In another Du’a we say to Allah:

"Then if there was a delay in Your answer, I would blame You, due to my ignorance, and perhaps the delay was best for me, for You know the outcome of all affairs"

This verse talks about how disappointed we get when our prayers are not answered, but Allah knows best whether or not what we asked for was good for us.

Lastly, our dua’s might not be answered because we do not pray with total sincerity or because we lack trust in him.

Du’a must be accompanied with action. Imam ALI (as) has said: "One who merely does du’a and fails to act is like one who wishes to shoot an arrow with a string-less bow."

There was once a pious family whose town was flooded. The council sent a truck to rescue them, but they refused help saying that they had prayed to Allah and HE would save them. As the flooding increased, they move to the second floor of the house. The council sent a boat this time. Again they refused help, saying that Allah would save them. The floods rose even further, and now they were on the roof of the house. The council sent a helicopter but they refused with the same answer. Eventually, they drowned and it is said that they complained to Allah saying they had relied on Him to save them. The answer came down ~ "I sent you a truck, a boat and a helicopter. What more did you want ?"

Every du’a that is said receives one of the following three things:

Either an answer to the prayer. Or the du’a will bring a blessing for the reciter. Or the du’a will ward off a difficulty or calamity.

Thus we should never feel that if Allah does not answer our prayer there is no use of du’a. We may be getting one of the other benefits without realising it.

Why do you roam the jungles?Says Farid,Why do you roam the jungles with thorns pricking your feet?Your Lord dwells in your heart.And you wander about in search of Him ....

[Baba Sheikh Fareed]

Baba Sheikh Farid ((1173 - 1266) was a Sufi saint who is considered by many to be the first major poet of the Punjabi language. He was born in the Multan district of what is today Pakistan.Later, when the Sikh holy book the Adi Granth Sahib was compiled, many of Baba Sheikh Farid's poems and couplets were included, alongside the poetry of Kabir and Ravidas.

We live in fear, in fear of losing things which we think we own; our health, our youth, our life, our wife, children, money, job, etc. And indeed, most of our time and efforts are spent to secure these things. We take our bankers’ advice, our lawyers’ advice, our doctors’ advice. We economize, we are jealous of our legal rights, we diet, we take our pills. To somewhat appease our fears of losing our material well-being, we buy insurance, open savings accounts, have medical check-ups, swallow vitamins, jog in the streets. And to have people’s esteem, we appear not as we are, but the way they wish us to be.

Some also fear losing their good reputation, honor, respect, and love. of others. Fewer still are afraid of losing their minds, their faith, their hope for salvation in the hereafter and their religion. The very few who are afraid to lose their faith and their place in Paradise squeeze in a few minutes of prayer a day, a few days of fasting a year, and cheat on the alms which they pay, while they wouldn’t dare to cheat the IRS.

We complain of fatigue, stress, injustice, lack of good luck and of the tyranny of the government, society, economy, bosses, employees, neighbors, mothers, fathers, wives and husbands, our children; just about everything and everybody, and we rarely find fault with ourselves. In spite of all this effort, we cannot eliminate our fears. In fact, the more we try and fail, the corse we feel, and our fears increase. This is the state of the whole world.

The solution which the rulers of this world (the politicians, the media, Wall Street) have found is to offer "circus and wine": amusement and fun. Their remedy is not to seek strength to face this situation, but to forget, to be. distracted. It does not work! The drunkard wakes up with a hangover after a momentary craze; he returns to his problems accompanied by a splitting headache!

In reality there is nothing to fear except ourselves, our ego and its insatiable appetite, which will always want more than it has, even if it had the whole world. What is one supposed to do to stop this insanity. How do we live this life in peace and with sanity? Indeed there is no comfort in this world. It is a hard test which lasts seventy to eighty years, through which we must pass to meet our Lord. It is a test which very few pass because they choose the world and the worldly as their teacher.

Monday, November 12, 2007

The aspect of human beings that sets us off from all other creatures is that of imaginative wisdom. Animals see things as they are, but we see them as they can be. We have been given the Divine ability to transform. Nothing gives a person more energy as he or she is working to bring a vision into reality. People forsake their sleep, food, and comfort for the sake of a project that they love. There is something holy about a human being dedicated to a purpose, something more precious than I can attempt to put into words. It is the miracle of creation.

It is exactly this miracle which enables us to transcend circumstances. Any circumstance is a good starting point for God. The alchemical power to activate Divinity is always speaking to us, if we are but willing to listen and do. It is none other than the Voice of God, beckoning to us to acknowledge the Divine Spark and to draw it into expression, that it may be shared by all.

Dreams...those silent conversationsof my soulthat I never rememberwhen i wake up..unless...the mirror of slumber is shatteredby an unexpected rockfrom the physical realm...

Today....in one of those fleeting moments..I captured the colorful butterfly of dreamsone more time ..on the fingertip of my consciousand smiled.. to realize......that the colors of rainbow..were no longer dull and grayof love and lust of materailsm...

but....hidden behindthe curtains of dreams..my heart was rejoicingin the teachings of ..great masters, teachers, prophets..I was admiring the deep and vibrant colorsof their love..for the light divine

And...I felt a hope..and a longing..may be one day...when the veil of dreams is liftedi will not find myselfonly admiring their lovefor the creator of the world..may be I'll find myselfimmersed in that deep ocean of love too....

and may be one day..I won't need a boatconstructed of dreamsto find myselfimmersed in that deep ocean ...

My heart, sit only with thosewho know and understand you.Sit only under a treethat is full of blossoms.In the bazaar of herbs and potionsdon't wander aimlesslyfind the shop with a potion that is sweetIf you don't have a measurepeople will rob you in no time.You will take counterfeit coinsthinking they are real.Don't fill your bowl with food fromevery boiling pot you see.Not every joke is humorous, so don't searchfor meaning where there isn't one.Not every eye can see,not every sea is full of pearls.My hart, sing the song of longinglike nightingale.The sound of your voice casts a spellon every stone, on every thorn.First, lay down your headthen one by onelet go of all distractions.Embrace the light and let it guide youbeyond the winds of desire.There you will find a spring and nourished by its see waterslike a tree you will bear fruit forever.

Lover whispers to my ear,"Better to be a prey than a hunter.Make yourself My fool.Stop trying to be the sun and become a speck!Dwell at My door and be homeless.Don't pretend to be a candle, be a moth,so you may taste the savor of Lifeand know the power hidden in serving."

Wealth has no permanence: it comes in the morning,and at night it is scattered to the winds.Physical beauty too has no importance,for a rosy face is made pale by the scratch of a single thorn.Noble birth also is of small account,for many become fools of money and horses.Many a nobleman's son has disgraced his father by his wicked deeds.Don't court a person full of talent either,even if he seems exquisite in that respect:take warning from the example of Iblis1 Devil.Iblis had knowledge, but since his love was not pure,he saw in Adam nothing but a figure of clay.

Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski"Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance"Threshold Books, 1996

Does God have a yetzer hara, the force within that encourages us to do negative and destructive things, that He has to fight everyday? Does God live in this seedy world, where people will do the unthinkable to make money .."

No, God does not have a yetzer hara. It is only we who have to battle this powerful inner foe.

The yetzer hara is a profound Jewish concept. We all have an inner adversary that tries to keep us from doing the right thing. What's so conniving about this evil inclination is that we think it is really our true selves talking.

Take dieting, for example. When most of us decide to start a diet, we hear a little voice that says, "Eat it, eat it -- just this one bite!" It certainly happens to me. And when I try to start a morning exercise regimen, that same voice says, "This morning you need to rest in order to exercise better tomorrow." Can you relate?

As soon as we decide to do something positive, the little voice tries to get us to do exactly the opposite of what we really want to do......

Sunday, October 7, 2007

Understanding the origin of a word can deepen our experience of its meaning. We begin our first issue by looking at the roots of the word 'devotion'.

Devotion comes from the Latin 'devovere' which contains the two Latin roots 'de' meaning down and 'votum' meaning vow. So 'devotion' means to lay down a vow and promise something. Someone who is devoted is said to be 'devout'.

'Votum' is the root of the word 'vote' meaning to make a conscious choice from a group of options. When you vote you are promising your support to the choice you made. Votum is also the root of 'votary' which is a term applied to someone who takes a vow to live a religious life of worship or service.

Therefore, when you are 'devoted' you consciously choose to promise your time, energy, thoughts and love to a person, a group, or a cause.

'Peace comes with ease when in true devotion the mind is dyed deep in the color of the Lord's Love.' -Guru Amar Das, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 36

'By devotion one truly understands what and who I am in essence. Having known Me in essence, one immediately merges with Me.'- Sri Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 55

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Love ...A four letter word that encompasses so much ...So many meaning ..so many emotions .. so many relationships..so many viewpoints..so many perspectives ...so much depth associated to a single word ...The way I think about it is that it is the most powerful 'medicine' in the world ..a cure for all the problems and all the hurt in the world ...

I had heard a beautiful quote when I was in college .... and had really liked it ...

"One who deserves to be loved the least, needs to be loved the most ..."

People who get unconditional love and support as kids grow up to be most confident and emotionally healthy adults ...

Talking about love ,reminded me of a wonderful excerpt that I had read long back ... I had just started college . It was Bsc First year ..there was a debate competetion . I am not much of a speaker . And had not voluntered to participate , but somehow one of the participants was sick on the day of debate and i found that i was "voluntered" to participate just 5 minute before round-one started . I dont even remember what the topic was .. the only thing i remember that i was tongue tied for most of the time ..... Apparently the other participants on my team were pretty good so we made it to second round ...It was scheduled for the next day .. We were given the topic at the end of the day so that participants could prepare overnight .. Again I dont remember the exact topic ... but it was somehow related to love ...

I still remember the beautiful excerpt that I had read in a "Readers Digest" special publication "How to live life"... -- the excerpt that got us the first prize in the debate ...

LOVEby Emmet Fox

There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer, no disease that enough love will not heal, no door that enough love will not bridge, no wall that enough love will not throw down, no sin that enough love will not redeem...

It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble, how hopeless the outlook, how muddled the tangle, how great the mistake...

A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all. If only you could love enough, you could be the happiest and most powerful being in the world...

Friday, October 5, 2007

Read a beautiful quotes from Veda Upnishads today ...I would like to take time out and read more ..Sometimes I feel there is so much beauty so much wisdom ..so much to learn in this world..and so little time .. The more you read the more you realize that how less you know ...

This quotes tells why it is so important to be aware of your each thought and each action ..why it is important to stop judging others and start judging our own actions ...

“As one acts and conducts himself, so does he become. The doer of good becomes good. The doer of evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action.”[Veda Upnishads]

Monday, September 10, 2007

Somebody had sent this wonderful article and I had saved it on my computer .. while cleaning some old files, I found it again .. Following is a beautiful excerpt from that article ......defining what is a beautiful character.. seerah...

The essential idea of good moral character ( or tahazeebi akhlaaq )is to bring our natural faculties in a state of balance. The three basic faculties are anger, desires, and intelligence.

Anger: When in equilibrium it results in valor, forbearance, steadfastness, the ability to restrain anger, and dignity. Excess will result in rashness, boastfulness, pride, inability to restrain anger, and vanity. A deficiency will result in cowardice, disgrace, and feeling of inferiority.

Desires: Equilibrium here results in chastity, generosity, haya (decency), patience, and contentment. Its excess leads to greed and lust. The other extreme results in narrow-mindedness, and impotence, etc.

Intelligence: Equilibrium here makes man wise, sharp-witted and one with great insights. Excess here makes one deceptive, fraudulent and imposture. Its lack results in ignorance and stupidity with the consequence that such a person is quickly misled.

A person will be considered as having a beautiful seerah (character) only when these faculties are in the state of balance and equilibrium

Sunday, September 2, 2007

I really liked the quote but somehow I kept thinking about how simple the words are and how deep is the meaning of the saying ...

Reminded me of a beautiful analogy that I have heard somewhere in past .. It is said that the love of God is like the love of your mother ..

As a spoiled kid we play in the mud of sins .. sometimes small mistakes ..little sins..sometimes big... a bad thought ...a little greed ... a harsh word .. speckles of dust when we start playing with the mud ... not knowing that this can take us down if dont constantly strive to cleanse ourselves...

And even if child is drenched with the mud of sins ...and when the child realizes he is all dirty ... One pleading look .. One true Ah! from the heart! and realization of mistakes ... And God comes and hugs you .. pardoning you of all your sins...like a mother who forgets the dirty muddy clothes of the beloved child and takes him into arms on a single plead.....So is the love of God ......

Monday, August 27, 2007

Everyone sees the unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart, and that depends upon how much he has polished it. Whoever has polished it more sees more — more unseen forms become manifest to him.

If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished? [Jalal al-din Mohammed Rumi]

beautiful saying .. reminds me of sher from Alama Iqbal that i think i have already blogged before on this site ...

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Replace fear-motivated behavior with love-motivated behavior. Fear is the product of memory, which dwells in the past. Remembering what hurt us before, we direct our energies toward making certain that an old hurt will not repeat itself. But trying to impose the past on the present will never wipe out the threat of being hurt. That happens only when you find the security of your own being, which is love. Motivated by the truth inside you, you can face any threat because your inner strength is invulnerable to fear.

[Deepak Chopra]

Above extract is from Deepak Chopra's 10 keys to lasting happiness ...His writings are a brilliant example of amalgamation of science and spirituality

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The first quote that i heard about anger when I was a still a kid was probably....

Anger is only one letter short of danger

Today i was reading an article by Shaikh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi Adapted from the ‘Marifetname’ of Hd. Ibrahim Hakki Erzurumi (1703-1780) regarding seven stages of 'nafs' as mentioned in sufism('tasawwuff')...It is beautiful article .. the following lines caught my attention...

The negative emotion of anger, when it flares up, is faster than the rational effort to suppress it. Once anger has caught fire it is difficult to extinguish. Like fire, it burns all that is human in us; compassion, love, gentleness, generosity, the ability to communicate, to think of consequences, and intelligence are all reduced to ashes. All that remains is a dangerous wounded wild animal.

Ambrose Bierce tries to use reverse psychology when quoting

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.

Another thought I like about anger is

He who angers you conquers you. [Elizabeth Kenny]

basically anger is nothing but the reflection of the arrogance living within us... and it is said that the cure of this arrogance is the realization that all you have, including your body and your very life, is not yours, but lent to you and entrusted to you by your Creator. Your actions are also His if they are good, and when they are bad, it is you who are tyrannizing yourself. Offer thanks for everything, and feel shame your wrongdoings; then you will be humble.

The fall of the one who stands low is much less painful than the one who falls from high ...

Sunday, August 19, 2007

On Some of the blogs I was reading in a last few days , I have seen discussions about existence of God Vs defining everything based on 'Science' , 'Philosophy' and 'Ethics'. Normally all discussions go round and round with no conclusions.. There cant be any conclusion that can be reached on this topic as existence and ways of God is beyond something we can comprehend ... Its not something on which people can be convinced either way ..beacuse this is 'music of the soul' that has to come from inside...its a leap of faith... Saw a beautiful quote that I feel sums it up...

Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. [ Saint Augustine ]

Monday, August 13, 2007

Last year I read "Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown . The best thing I liked about the book was the captivating way he defined the Phi ..(Fibonacci Series..) also known as divine proportion ...This is not Dan Brown's description but gives some good information about phi and why it is called divine proportion..or golden number...

What is Phi?

Also known as the golden number, it the basis for the 'Golden Ratio'. This is a mathematical proportion that appears repeatedly in nature and has long been considered a especially pleasing to the eye. Look at a pine cone or a nautilus shell and you will see an obvious representation of Phi.

Phi Diagrammed

With a geometric overlay, it is easy to see how the shape of a nautilus shell conforms to the Golden Ratio. The ratio of each segment's size to that of the previous segment is roughly 1.6, which is approximately equal to Phi.(See Image above)

By the Numbers

Phi is approximated as 1.618 but is actuality a 'non-terminating decimal,' meaning that it is a never-ending number. A mathmetical definition of Phi is that Phi squared equals Phi plus one. There is only one other number that has that property. Phi has been calculated with extraordinary accuracy

Why is it Called Phi?

The symbol φ or "phi" (pronounced "fee") was first used at the beginning of the 20th century. It is the first Greek letter in the name of Greek sculptor Phidias who lived around 490 - 430 B.C. Phidias used the Golden Ratio in some of his most famous sculptures including this statue of Zeus in the temple of Olympia.

Who Figured it Out?

The first definition of the golden ratio was provided around 300 B.C. by Euclid, the founder of geometry. He explained the perfect proportion of a line cut into its "extreme and mean ratio." That line (A--------------C-------B) is proportioned such that the ratio of the length of AC to that of CB equals the ratio of AB to AC.

The Significance?

Phi and the golden ratio pop up everywhere. Humans seem to find it particularly appealing. You can find it in architecture (the Guggenheim Museum), in music (some say Stradivarius used it to construct his famous violins), in nature (flowers, ferns and more) and in art such as the Last Supper.

For more information check out the following websites:http://goldennumber.net/classic/heartbeat.htm

I believe that happiness of the person is related to his inner feelings and attitude. External forces and situations have less to do with happiness.. The more adaptable a person is to external situations more stable and happier the person is...

Friday, August 10, 2007

"I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit."

[RabindraNath Tagore]

When a number of people from various angles and distances have a look at the sea, each man sees a portion of it according to his horizon. Though each man may say that what he sees is the real sea, all of them speak the truth, for all of them see portions of the same wide expanse. So the religious scriptures, though they seem to contain varying and conflicting statements, speak the truth, for they are all descriptions of that one infinite Reality.

"Once upon a time, I, Lao'tse, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, to all intents and purposes a butterfly. I was conscious only of following my fancies as a butterfly, and was unconscious of my individuality as a man. Suddenly, I awoke, and there I lay, myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming that I am now a man."

The reality of the other person is not in what he reveals to you, but in what he cannot reveal to you.Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says but rather to what he does not say.

Springs will comeand springs will golook at the worldthru eyes of heartyou will always find itevergreen and beautiful ....

I always feel that everything is in your attitude .. happiness is never going to come to you from outside ... its living inside you .. you have to find it deep down in your heart ...

If anything troubles you ... SMILE .. and say to yourself ..."So what!... world is still so very beautiful...." there is beauty and purity everywhere .. in the smile hidden behind the wrinkles of a old lady .. in the gait and chuckle of a small child .. in the colors and texture of sand .. in the hues and shades of evening sun...in the twinkling of stars....in the brightness of faith in your heart."

contentment is the source of happiness and worldy goods give you momentary happiness ..for 'bliss' one has to look inside the soul....One has to search inside instead of outside...

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

As you are now you are just a liquid phenomenon, changing every moment, nothing stable. Really you cannot claim any "I" --- you don't have one. You are many "I"s just in a flow, a riverlike flow. You are a crowd, not an individual yet. But meditation can make you an individual. This word 'individual' is beautiful; it means indivisible. Right now as you are, you are divided. You are only many fragments clinging together anyhow without any center being there, without any master in the house, with only servants. And for a moment any servant can become the master. Every moment you are different because you are not--- and unless you are, the divine cannot happen to you. To whom can it happen? You are not there.

[OSHO ; From The Book of Secrets ]

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Somehow I can identify with this .. At times I do feel I am fickle ..Sometimes I try to see it in positive light .. I try to think that the 'liquid phenomenon' being able to mold yourself is a good thing ..I like to think that I am 'adaptable' ...This quote intrigued me ... A different perspective ...

Isn't it so ironic that any bad habits we have we so conviniently defend them by saying 'Oh ! I can't help it , that's my nature ...'

What is Nature ..? The word "nature" is derived from the Latin word natura, or "the course of things, natural character..And when we are born.. we are not born with those bad habits .. We are pure.. unblemished ..as nature intended us to be ...

Over a period of time we acquire these 'habits' thru laziness, greediness , influence of external entities..Television , Society , Peers and then we conviniently put the blame on nature...

We need to learn the difference between nature and habit . It is said that it takes about 21 days of conscious effort to create change or replace a habit. Habit per se is not bad but we need to learn to differentiate between good habits and bad habits ..

There is a beautiful quote"Habit is either the best of servants or the worst of masters." [ Nathaniel Emmons ]

Today I stumbled on a blog http://islamucation.blogspot.com/ and read a beautiful quote ..and felt like adding it in here so more people can read it ... It really makes you think ...

Never do I argue with a man with a desire to hear him say what is wrong, or to expose him and win victory over him. Whenever I face an opponent in debate I silently pray- O Lord, help him so that the truth may flow from his heart and on his tongue, and so that if the truth is on my side, he may follow me; and if the truth be on his side, I may follow him.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Its a beautiful expression , when a person walks on the true path ..walks on the path shown by the almighty .. he has to give up.. he learns to give up on his desires ...his wants ... the right path is not always the easy path ... but dont loose heart ... even though you have to give up desires at time .. even though you bow down for the happiness of others .... but the heart which derives pleasure from giving and not always wanting ... jo jhuknaa jaanta hai woh khuda ko zyaada pyaara hota hai .. and Iqbal has put this so beautifully in the above sher...